Guide for Assignment Presentation

Introduction An assignment should be regarded as a set of faculty member paper. The hook up withers comments and suggestions ab let on the construction and playation of assignments be int hold backed to wipeouture a guide.They ar non intended to be con rampred as rigid rules. However, t present ar a total of academic conventions which should be met in academic micturate. Of most importance in academic writing is an overriding need for internal consistency in flummoxation. Internal consistency is achieved by thoroughness and attention to exposit in the presentation of work. The direct of an academic piece of writing is to report the results of an investigation to other members of the understand into for their t each(prenominal)ing, evaluation and criticism.Communication of the results of academic activity is important as it everyows the dissemination of teaching and is fundamental to the establishment of groups of the great unwashed who be interested in similar problems and who are interested in applying similar analytical techniques to light upon solutions to these problems. written material an assignment is an exercise in effective communication and requires more than entirely learning of techniques of epitome and facts about the economic process. There are a number of books avail able-bodied that assist with writing assignments.See for example, Betts and Seitz (1986) Writing Essays in the Social Sciences and Anderson and Poole (1994) Thesis and denomination Writing. It is recommended that students consult these for assertation about how to research and write an assignment. 2. estimation Criteria Each wholes/modules offered through the HND Programme get out have stipulated the criteria for judicial decision of assignments in the Course sketch. A number of assessment criteria that may be relevant for all courses are listed below. Relevance of your answer to the question or task set. Clarity of expression. Supporting docum entation for arguments.Proper acknowledgement of documentation and the spend of a bibliographic convention. dianoetic visualizening and term. Overall presentation, including correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. Comprehensive coverage reflecting mastery of set conings and text. 3. Presentation of the assigning You should always learn that you prepare twain hard copies of your Assignment and keep a copy on disc. On occasions assignments go missing, or second copies are required by University/College. Each Assignment should be in submitigibly marked up with your name, your study centre, your Student registration number and at the end of the assignment a word count.The assignment should be word-processed. 1 TEG 2007 The assignment presentation format should flat meet the requirements of the assignment picture (i. e. reports and presentations are the most called for communication formats). You must ensure that your assignment does not appear to be an extended essay. I f it does, you result lose grades. The word limit testament be include in the assignment brief. These are specified by Lecturer/Tutor and must be adhered to. Appendices should intelligibly link to the assignment and tolerate be attached as supporting documentation at the end of the report. However, failure to reference them by number (e. . Appendix 1) within the report and as well as marked on the Appendix itself will lose you grade. Only map an Appendix if it is essential and clearly imparts value to the boilers suit Assignment. The Appendix is not a waste bin for all the materials you have come across in your research, or a way of making your assignment seem somewhat heavier and more impressive than it is. 4. epoch Management for Assignments One of the biggest challenges we all seem to face day-to-day is that of managing time. When studying, that challenge seems to grow increasingly difficult, requiring a balance amongst work, home, family, social life and study life .It is at that placefore of pivotal importance to your own victor for you to plan wisely the limited amount of time you have available. Step 1 Find out how much time you have Ensure that you are fully aware of how long your module lasts, and the nett deadline. If you are studying a module from September to December, it is believably that you will have only 10-12 weeks in which to complete your assignments. This means therefore, that the confrontation of deadlines is vitally important, as submission schedules are extremely tight. Step 2 Plan your timeEssentially you need to work backwards from the final deadline, submission date, and schedule your work around the mathematical time lines. Clearly, if you have only 10-12 weeks available to complete trine assignments, you will need to allocate a block of hours in the final stages of the module to ensure that all of your assignments are in on time. after-hours submissions will not be accepted, and no extensions will be allowed. S tudents who do not submit will be treated as a no show, and will have to re-enter for the next assessment period and narrow an alternative assignment. Step 3 Set prioritiesYou should set priorities on a day by day and weekly basis (not just for study, moreover for your life). There is no doubt that this mode of study postulate commitment (and some sacrifices in the short term). When your acquirements are recognised by colleagues, peers, friends and family, it will all belief worthwhile. Step 4 Analyse activities and allocate time to them Consider the range of activities that you will need to harness in order to complete the assignment and the time each index take. Remember, too, there will be a delay in asking for information and receiving it. 2 TEG 2007 Preparing terms of reference for the assignment, to include the following. 1 A short rubric 2 A brief outline of the assignment purpose and matter 3 Methodology (the methods you intend to practise to carry out the required tasks) 4 Indication of any difficulties that have arisen in the duration of the assignment 5 Time schedule 6 Confidentiality if the assignment includes secluded information ensure that this is clearly marked on the assignment 7 Literature and desk research undertaken A literature search in order to undertake the necessary background reading and brookning information that might support your assignmentWriting letters and memos asking for information either internally or outsidely Designing questionnaires set about surveys Analysis of data from questionnaires Secondary data search Preparation of kickoff draft report forever and a day build in time to spare, to deal with the unexpected. This may reduce the pressure that you are faced in meeting signifi abidet deadlines. 5. Planning and Sequence of an Assignment The assignment should contain at least terce well defined and distinct constituents (a) An demonstration (or a first) (b) The frame of the assignment (or a kernel) (c) A conclusion (or an end) The introduction, which occurs at the line of the assignment, should include a statement of the aims or objectives of the assignment. The introduction provides a clear statement of the problem or question to be considered the limitations or assumptions you plan to use when examining the problem, and the analytical techniques employ. Although the task set will frequently determine the question represent for the assignment, there is til now scope for the introduction to define more precisely the question/task or to set the limit of the assignment. Do not simply state the title of the assignment or repeat the task be by the lecturer. The body of the assignment contains the argument that you present in support of the question you have posed in the introduction. The argument should be logical and embody the standard techniques of analysis as well as display familiarity with standard economic concepts and doctrines. The conclusion should complet e the assignment by following up news points raised in the previous sections. It should relate clearly to your statement of aims and purpose provided in the introduction. As a general rule, no new material should be introduced in 3 TEG 2007 the conclusion.The conclusion normally should get by conclusions and point to further directions one could take from matters which have been argued fully and stated in the body of the assignment. Do not simply repeat, or summarise, what you have already verbalise in the body of the assignment. Repetition is regarded as padding. 6. Common Specific Instructions employ in Assignment Questions or Tasks Define Set blue the precise meaning of a word or phrase and show why the specialisations implied in the comment are necessary by expanding on particular elements that may be character references of confusion or misunderstanding.Discuss go over an issue by examining the positive and negative arguments and by exploring interesting alternatives. Illustrate Use a exercise to clarify a particular point or use examples taken from e genuinelyday reality. Explain crystalize by the use of explanation, model and example. Compare Describe the similarities and differences and evaluate resemblingly takingss. Contrast Present an overview of deuce points of view and set them in opposition to bring out the differences. Describe Give a flesh out explanation and clarification. EvaluateMake an appraisal on the basis of pre-established criteria, explore other points of view and, perhaps, include your personal opinion. fork out Expand the meaning of a particular issue or counterbalancet. Justify Show the basis for a decision or conclusion by the use of an appropriate model or relevant consequence. Outline Describe the major features of an issue or theory omitting minor details and emphasising structure and key conclusions. preserve Show how things are connected to each other and how they influence each other. State Present in brief , clear form. SummariseGive a brief overview of the key points of a matter, omitting details and examples. Trace Follow the development of a topic from some point of origin. 4 TEG 2007 7. PRESENTATION The style and presentation of assignments are important. Your assignment should be easy to read and be presented in a way that shows you have organised your material to present your argument clearly. In addition, your assignment should be referenced where appropriate and literature cited in the text should be accurately documented. 7. 1 Writing Report Students often ask what do they mean by a report? or what should the report format include? There are a number of uprisees to reports, orb or informal some report formats are company specific and designed for internal use rather than external reporting. For Assignment-Based Assessment process, you should stay with traditional formats. Below is a suggested layout that might assist you when presenting your assignments. A Title Page incl udes the title of the report, the author of the report and the receiver of the report Terms of reference who enjoin the report, when and why, any conditions (Optional) Contents rapscallion providing a clearly structured guide to the mental ability of the report with page number references for each item.All section numbers and titles, using exactly the same wording as in the report. Executive summary a brief insight into purpose, nature and outcome of the report, in order that the outcome of the report can be quickly established (Optional) Introduction background information Main body of the report includes findings, description, facts, opinions, etc. This must be well structured and divided into sections, which are clearly labelled. decimal fraction numbering is leafy vegetable. Here is brief example. 1. 0 Introduction 1. 1 Situation Analysis 1. 1. 1 outdoor(a) Analysis 1. 1. 2 Internal AnalysisConclusions draw the report to a conclusion, highlighting key points of import ance that will impact upon any recommendations that might be made. Its also summary of results. Recommendations clearly outline possible options and because pull out your recommendations. Where appropriate, justify recommendations in order to substantiate your decision. Appendices ensure that you only use appendices that add value to the report. Ensure that they are numbered and referenced within the text. If you are not going to reference it within the text, then it should not be there.Appendices (not always necessary) additional details, tables, graphs, detailed analysis. 5 TEG 2007 Bibliography whilst in a line of work environment a bibliography might not be necessary, for an assignment-based report it is vital. It provides an indication of the level of research, reading and amass of relevant information that has taken place in order to fulfil the requirements of the assignment task. Where possible, and where relevant, you could provide academic references within the tex t, which should of course then provide the basis of your bibliography.References should realistically be listed alphabetically and in the following sequence Authors name and edition of the text Date of publication Title and sub-title (where relevant) Edition number come of publication Publisher Series and individual volume number where appropriate. 8. Tips for Writing Assignments Everybody has a personal style, mavin and tone when it comes to writing. However, no matter what your approach, you must ensure your assignment meets the requirements of the brief and so is comprehensible, coherent and viscous in approach. Think of preparing an assignment as preparing for an examination.Ultimately, the work you are undertaking results in an examination grade. victorious achievement of all four modules in a level results in a qualification. There are a number of positive steps that you can undertake in order to ensure that you oblige the best of your assignment presentation in order to maximise the grades available. Step 1 Work to the abbreviated Ensure that you identify exactly what the assignment asks you to do. If it asks you to be a marketing bonkr, then immediately undertake that role. If it asks you to prepare a report, then present a report, not an essay or a letter.Furthermore, if it asks for 2,500 words, then do not present 1,000 or 4,000 unless it is clearly justified, agreed with your tutor and a valid piece of work. Identify whether the report should be formal or informal who it should be addressed to its overall purpose and its potential use and outcome. Understanding this will ensure that your assignment meets fully the requirements of the brief and addresses the key issues include within it. Step 2 Addressing the Tasks It is of pivotal importance that you address each of the tasks within the assignment.Many students fail to do this and often overlook one of the tasks or indeed part of the tasks. Many of the assignments will have three or fou r tasks, some will have eve more. You should establish quite early on, which of the tasks requires you to compose information and which provides you with the framework of the assignment, i. e. the communication method. Possible tasks will include the following. Compare and contrast. Take two unalike organisations and compare them side by side and consider the differences and contrasts between the two. 6 TEG 2007 Carry out aboriginal or secondary research.Collect information to support your assignment and your subsequent decisions drum a plan. Some assignments will ask you to prepare a plan for an event or for a marketing activity. Provide a step-by-step approach, rationales and a time-line. Ensure your intended outcomes are measurable and achievable. Make sure your actions are very specific and clearly explained. Analyse a situation. This will require you to collect information, consider its content and present an overall understanding of the situation as it exists. This mi ght include looking at internal and external factors and how he current situation evolved. Make recommendations. The more advanced your studies, the more likely it is that you will be required to exculpate recommendations. Consider and evaluate your options and then make justifiable recommendations. Justify decisions. You may be required to justify your decision or recommendations. This will require you to explain fully how you have arrived at as a result and to show why, supported by relevant information. In other words, you should not make decisions in a vacuum as a marketer your decisions should always be advised by context. Prepare a presentation.This speaks for itself. If you are required to prepare a presentation, ensure that you do so, preparing clearly defined PowerPoint or overhead slides that are not too crowded and that clearly express the points you are required to make. Evaluate performance. It is very likely that you will be asked to evaluate a campaign, a plan o r even an event. You will therefore need to consider its strengths and weaknesses, why it succeeded or failed, the issues that have touched it, what can you learn from it and, importantly, how can you improve performance or sustain it in the future.All of these points are likely requests included within a task. Ensure that you identify them clearly and address them as required. Step 3 Information Search Many students fail to realise the importance of collecting information to support and underpin their assignment work. However, it is vital that you demonstrate to your tutor ability to establish information needs, obtain relevant information and utilise it sensibly in order to arrive at appropriate decisions. You should establish the nature of the information required, follow up possible sources, the time involved in obtaining the information and likely gaps in information.Consider these factors very carefully. Tutors are very keen that students are seen to collect information, expa nd their mind and consider the breadth and profoundness of the situation. Submitting a bibliography is a good way of illustrating the level of information collection and application within the assignment. 7 TEG 2007 Step 4 Develop an Assignment Plan Your assignment needs to be structured and coherent, addressing the brief and presenting the facts as required by the tasks. The only way you can successfully achieve this is by homework the structure your Assignment in advance.Earlier, we looked at identifying your tasks and, working backwards from the release date, in order to manage time successfully. The structure and coherence of your assignment needs to be planned with similar signs. In think the Assignment, you should aim to include all the relevant information requested. You should also plan for the use of models, diagrams and appendices where necessary. Plan contents Introduction Content Main body of the assignment Summary Conclusions and recommendations where appropri ate Step 5 Prepare Draft AssignmentIt is good practice to produce a first draft of a report. You should use it to ensure that you have met the aims and objectives, assignment brief and tasks related to the actual assignment. A draft document provides you with scope for improvements, and enables you to fancy for accuracy, spelling, punctuation and use of English. Some tutors provide you with an opportunity to review a draft assignment. If this is the case, you should take every(prenominal) opportunity to let them provide you with support. Step 6 Prepare Final DocumentIn the section headed Presentation of the Assignment in this guide, there are a number of components that should always be in place at the beginning of the assignment documentation, including labelling of the assignment, word counts, appendices numbering and presentation method. Ensure that you adhere to the guidelines presented, or alternatively those suggested by your tutors. 9. separate Working meeting work is necessary to develop the skills to be effective in real work situations. Very rarely do you work completely on your own Group work can be more productive as there are more people generating ideas Group projects are often more interesting as the task can be more complex Group members can motivate and support each other Group problems Domination one or two members take over, and the others lose interest 8 TEG 2007 Critical in order to sound knowledgeable, some members are always critical. Sometimes competition emerges Conflict sometimes open, sometimes not Sexism and racism you must inform your Tutor, or Equal Opportunities Co-ordinator Avoidance whole group avoiding the task, often due to fear of failure nonoperational listening nobody listens people working as individuals, not as a groupSome suggestions Analyse the skills and strengths of each member Brainstorm ideas and form a plan of action Allocate tasks and set dates for task consequence and regular meetings Set up communications phone numbers, room numbers, e-mail addresses Set meeting places this is dead essential at a first meeting Keep reviewing progress on the task and on any problems with the group Discuss any problems openly and with all group members 10. Effective Reading earlier you start Is this the correct book/article for your purpose? Check date/author/scope see the contents, is it the right level? Read a section/chapter to check What questions are you trying to answer? shed light on beforehand you start Reading Read with purpose (what questions to be answered? ) Read selectively scan and skip over only read in detail what you need to Mentally recite what you have just read Make notes at appropriate points bullet points, do not rewrite the whole book. Review Did I answer the questions I wanted to? Do I understand and remember what I read? 9 TEG 2007 11. Oral presentation Plan What is the purpose? What are your objectives? Who are your audience? Wha t facilities can you use? impertinent chart, OHP, PC, etc. Structure your presentation -the old rule is Tell em what youre going to tell em, then tell em, then tell em what you told em. i. e. an introduction, the contents, a conclusion Make sure any visual aids can be seen and read Rehearse and time your delivery Delivery A good start make an impact, and make your audience want to listen Dont read use crib cards, OHP slides as notes Speak tardily and clearly Look at your audience, dont talk to the wall, your feet, or the OHP screen Vary the speed and pitch of your interpreter Make sure you are not standing in front of the visual aids If it is a group presentation, make sure that you link well together Be lively and finish on a high note 12. Punctuation Why use it? It is to guide the reader in the inwrought reprieves in writing. It is also there to show how the grammar of a decry is supposed to work a groovy letter at the beginning of a clip and a full stop at the end. Punctuating your sentence need only involve colon, semicolon, full stop, question mark, dash, apostrophe, comma, deferred payment marks, brackets. Colon () is most often employ to introduce a recognition or a list. Full stop (. ) Use full boodle more than you expect to. When in doubt, your instinct should always plump for a full stop. Semicolon () Represents a pause longer than a comma but shorter than a full stop. (If in doubt about its use dont use it. ) 10 TEG 2007 It is employ between clauses when the second clause expands or explains the first e. g. neither of them moved they waited to see if the intruder made a quick exit. It is also used before clauses which begin with nevertheless, therefore, even so, and for instance e. . He looked before he leaped even so he landed in the water. It is used to mark off a series of phrases or clauses which themselves contain commas. e. g. You will need the following ingredients four eggs, preferably size 3 4oz caster pillage a few drops of vanilla essence and 2oz almonds, which must be ground. Question mark (? ) Use a question mark every time there is a genuine direct question. That means atomic number 18 you going? but not I asked if he was going? ( incorrect because it is a reported question). Dashes (-) Use dashes but dont overdo them.You can use a pair of dashes in place of brackets or a single dash to mark a break in the sentence before a punch line or a throwaway remark In life, two things are never with us death and taxes. Apostrophes () They do not make things plural form. They are not used to make things plural e. g. 1990s, MPs HQs. The general rule is if something belongs to someone you write someones or for example, the students. If it belongs to several people (the students), you write the students. Plurals like people and children, that arent made with an s, take apostrophe s i. e. childrens.Apostrophes are also shown where letters are missed out cant play, wont play. Its is short fo r it is. Beware of its, (meaning of it)yours, hers, ours, theirs, and whose. None of them takes as apostrophe. Commas (,) Commas, like buses, often come in pairs. It is wrong to write The reason is as it always was, to save money. Two commas should be used, like brackets, either side of the phrase as it always was. The test is whether, grammatically, the sentence would hold up if the section between the commas were removed. The common mistake is to forget the second comma.Commas are needed, and are not optional, when someone or something is being addressed. caress me, Hardy must take the comma after me. Yes Minister should have be Yes, Minister. Pairs of commas should be used when however, say, meanwhile and for instance are interjected into sentences he might be paid, say, ? 50,000 a year. 11 TEG 2007 At the beginning of a sentence, these words or phrases need to be cordoned off with a single comma However, investigations into , For instance, if we look at.. Commas are used to mark off separate items in a list, except, ordinarily between the last two items.You can put a comma in before and if its needed to make the sentence clear Goods are transported by lorry, horse and cart, and even handcart. A strong adjective usually takes commas after each one except the last old, crabby, pedantic Dr Johnson. Quotation marks () Use double over to enclose direct speech. Use a colon, not a comma before quotes Mr. Smith said This is good news for all poor students. Use a comma after quotes (before the second quotation marks) It will help many students, said Jim. Quotations direct from a book or journal also need to have double quotation marks () Davis et al. 1991, p243) stated that Equilibrium is the sense which tells you when your body is equilibrise and when it is tipping, turning or inverting. Unless the length of the quotation is more than three lines of your text, in which case it is indented and no quotation marks are necessary. Brackets ( ) The use of brackets (whose technical term is parenthesis) should be kept to a minimum. They are used to indicate a supplementary remark, or a qualification of some sort. Grammatically they work like commas, but the remarks inside the brackets tend to be less important than those inside commas.Brackets are always used in pairs. If the brackets surround an entire sentence then the full stop at the end of the sentence stays within the brackets. (This is the procedure you should follow. ) If the brackets only surround part of the sentence, the full stop goes outside. This is the procedure you should follow (under normal circumstances). Square brackets like these Square brackets are used to indicate your changes or your own comments on psyche elses writing. The report that 25000 had been killed in battle a figure shown to be greatly exaggerated changed the course of the war. 3. buccaneering Plagiarism is the act of passing off as your own work another persons writing, words, or ideas. You must make it clear which ideas and which words you have obtained from someone else. Superficial and minor changes do not disguise your use of the words of someone else. You commit plagiarism if you do not acknowledge the source of a direct quote, or a specific piece of writing that you have paraphrased, or even if you describe an idea or concept that you have heard or read somewhere without a reference or acknowledgement.University / College rules will apply into plagiarism and also subject to disciplinary action. 12 TEG 2007 14. universal Guidelines Follow these stages while you are doing your reading/note taking. Generating ideas What are the implications of the title? What ideas lie behind the title? What are you being invited to explore? Put your ideas on paper Things should become more complex at this stage There should be a mixture of fact/description and theory/argument finding your perspective Try to sort the complexity into a clear, logical pattern Is there an obvious s equence such as intentions/results pro/anti before/after cause/effect hypothesis/evidence? Whats most relevant/interesting, convincing/contentious? What evidence supports your argument? What is the basic question/problem here? Diagrammatic structure of ideas may help A draft plan of the essay Roughly, the structure of the content Sequence of the argument You may be able to plan your paragraph structure A diagram plan may be useful Plan to go from the general to the specific Write a draft version Amend as you go along Maybe start each section on a separate page Several drafts may be needed Should new paragraphs be added/ some be divided? The final version Ask someone else to proof-read it for you. 13 TEG 2007 BTEC Higher subject area Grade Descriptors The assessment of BTEC Higher National qualifications will be at unit level and there will be no overall grade for either the Certificate or the Diploma. Each unit will be graded as a pass, merit or distinction. A pass i s awarded for the achievement of all outcomes against the specified assessment criteria.Merit and distinction grades are awarded for higher-level achievement. In order to demonstrate achievement, learners typically undertake assessment activities that include a series of tasks or assignments, reflecting typical practice in the sector concerned. In order to judge the level of achievement, assessment criteria are used for the pass grade and grade descriptors for the merit and distinction grades. Achievement of a pass grade a pass grade is achieved by meeting all the requirements defined in the assessment criteria for each individual unit.Achievement of a merit or distinction grade all the assessment criteria and merit grade descriptors need to be completed within a unit to achieve a merit grade. All the assessment criteria, merit and distinction grade descriptors must be completed within a unit to achieve a distinction grade. The generic merit and distinction grade descriptors need to be viewed as a qualitative extension of the assessment criteria within each individual unit. The grade descriptors will be contextualised to meet the needs of the unit and be incorporate into the design of the assessment activities.Any single assignment however, as with BTEC Higher Nationals, will only be able to indicate that the learners has achieved some of the descriptors, say M1 and D2 unless it is a project style assessment that covers the whole unit (i. e. all learning outcomes and criteria). For example, if an assignment task requires the learner to To pass the task you need to explored the organisational structures and cultures of the two organisations and prepared a suitable comparison in terms of the unit content requirements types of organisation and associated structures, organisational networks and linkages, organisational culture.The qualitative aspect of the work, that will be used to determine your achievement of M1 on this occasion, will be the level of detail of both understanding of the subject matter (effective approach to study) and the depth to which you have taken this in the comparisons (effective approach to research). The approach taken in the example above shows how the indicative criteria can be adapted to better curb the work being undertaken in the task. In some cases the indicative characteristic could be used just as it is with no more than an identification of the evidence to which it relates (e. g. report, presentation, diagram, etc. ).